Carbon footprint reduction tips for eco-conscious Brits
With global warming a threat recognised by many Brits there is a greater desire than ever to be eco-conscious.
But what can we all do to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure a brighter future for everyone?
Eco-conscious Brits have been offered tips on the most practical ways to reduce household CO2 emissions.
From changing light bulbs to simply driving less, energy experts from money.co.uk have revealed ten of the easiest ways we can reduce our impact on the environment without making drastic and radical changes.
Ben Gallizzi, money.co.uk energy expert, said: “The scale at which humans are pumping out CO2 is alarming, and it is all serving to trap heat on the planet and fuel climate change.
“We should all be taking responsibility and making changes to our day-to-day lives to lessen the impact – but these changes don’t have to be radical.”
1 Unplug your devices. Electronics suck energy when they’re plugged in, even if they’re not being used. Any time a cord is plugged into a socket, it’s drawing energy, so leave your electronics unplugged at all times when you are not using them.
2 Line-dry your clothes. Tumble dryers use a frightening amount of energy. One of the best ways to cut your energy usage and reduce your carbon footprint is to go back to line-drying your clothes.
3 Drive less. You can make a huge difference to your carbon footprint by leaving the car at home and instead walking, biking, or even taking the bus.
4 Eat seasonally, locally, and more plants. Try to buy your food locally and make the majority of your plate plant-based foods – animal products make a bigger impact because they require more water and resources to put on your plate. Greenhouse gas emissions from agribusiness are an even bigger problem than fossil fuels
and red meat is particularly
to blame, consuming 11 times more water and producing five times more emissions than poultry!
5 Buy items from charity shops. Unless you’re already a mindful shopper, the clothes in your wardrobe have likely crossed thousands of miles before ending up in your possession. The resources that go into making a single garment also tot up. So next time you need a new outfit, head to a secondhand shop, which is better for the environment.
6 Turn down your thermostat. Heating your home in the winter is expensive, and it can also be a major contributor to your carbon footprint.
7 Take shorter showers. Delivering, treating and heating the hot water for your shower is extremely energy intensive, and the longer you run the hot water, the higher
your energy and utility bills rise.
8 Change your lightbulbs to energy saving bulbs. Halogen bulbs use 50 per cent less energy than incandescent lights, and although they’re more expensive, they last much longer and will ultimately end up saving you money on your energy bills.
9 Reuse items wherever you can. Everything you put in the bin adds to your carbon footprint, so while you might not be able to bring your waste production down to zero, you can reduce it by investing in non-disposable goods that can withstand a bit of wear and tear.
10 Wash clothes in cold water. By doing laundry on a cold water setting, you can reduce your carbon emissions by a whopping 75 per cent! And for lightly soiled clothing, cold water sanitizes just as well as a warm wash.